Jay Glazer Upset With ESPN's Handling Of His Reporting On Favre

Fox Sports' Jay Glazer appeared on WAXY-AM yesterday morning to discuss ESPN's treatment of the Vikings signing of QB Brett Favre, a story he first reported. Glazer said, "Two days ago I had to fight ESPN all damn day because they tried to put my story up as wrong." Glazer: "One of those guys -- I don't know which one it was -- kind of mocked me in the story." More Glazer: "I like a lot, an awful lot, of guys over at that network … but when you get petty and make fun of me, don't do that with me. If you're going to say something, just say something you'd be willing to say to me.” When it was suggested he take on the ESPN analysts in the octagon MMA-style, Glazer said, "I wouldn't mind punching one of these guys" (WAXY-AM, 8/19). ESPN VP/Communications Mike Soltys via e-mail wrote of the comments, "I don't know who he is referring to. We aggressively credited Fox Sports all day Monday on the report and Jay was praised on our air when it was officially announced" (THE DAILY). But the GLOBE & MAIL's Bruce Dowbiggin wrote the "antipathy between" Fox and ESPN in reporting on the Favre story was "palpable." Reporting the story was a "major coup for Glazer against the 'four letters,' as some Fox employees label ESPN." Meanwhile, Dowbiggin wrote "expect the competition to get nasty," especially from ESPN's Adam Schefter, who "must justify ESPN's decision to snap him up after missing on the Favre story" (GLOBESPORTS.com, 8/19).

STILL A NETWORK STAR: In Minneapolis, Scoggins & Zulgad note the Vikings' first three regular-season games are all slated to air on Fox at 1:00pm ET, and Fox Sports VP/Communications Dan Bell said that the net is "looking to broaden the audience to which it sends Vikings games in those first three weeks" (Minneapolis STAR TRIBUNE, 8/20).

ENOUGH ALREADY: WFAN-AM’s Mike Francesa said the media members changing their opinions about Favre after he came out of retirement a second time is "one of the most ridiculous things I’ve ever seen." Francesa: "Let me put it bluntly: it is a joke. It is an absolute joke. All you’re hearing now is the guys who kissed Favre’s rear end for years feel like jilted lovers now" ("Mike Francesa," YES Network, 8/19). Meanwhile, in Nashville, Joe Biddle wrote if he has to "ingest the hype that every TV or radio personality is spewing" related to Favre, he "may close the blinds, unplug the high def, throw my radios out the window" (TENNESSEAN.com, 8/19).

COMEDY GOLD: CBS' David Letterman dedicated his Top 10 list last night to Favre's comeback. Letterman said of Favre, "He won a Super Bowl and was a revered legend in Green Bay and everybody said, 'When you're done, don't play anyplace else.' ... Now, the most heinous thing he could have done is playing for the hated rival Minnesota Vikings." Letterman jokingly added, "He sat right here on the show one night and I said, 'Is it true you're not retired,' and he took a swing at me" ("Late Show," CBS, 8/19).

10) “Blew his savings on a two-day taco binge.”

9) “No reason to stay home every day now that ‘Guiding Light’ has been cancelled.”